Downtown, Apex

Living & working in Downtown, Apex

Downtown Apex is a National Register Historic District characterized by its well-preserved, turn-of-the-century railroad-town layout. The historic core features Queen Anne, Bungalow/Craftsman, and Neocolonial Revival architecture dating from approximately 1870 to 1950, alongside newer refurbished townhouses. Residential streets are lined with a mix of early and mid-century single-family homes and cottages. Salem Street is the primary commercial thoroughfare, housing local storefronts and dining establishments, and hosting a major streetscape revitalization project. The historical center is anchored by the Apex Train Depot, which serves as a town welcome center. For recreation, residents utilize nearby civic green spaces such as Hunter Street Park, Seagroves Farm Park, Kelly Road Park, and Apex Community Park.

The local economy in downtown Apex is driven by retail, dining, and professional service sectors, centered around institutions like Town Hall and the Halle Cultural Arts Center. For remote workers and hybrid professionals, local workspaces include the Salem Station coworking facility on Salem Street, as well as cafes like Common Grounds Coffee House & Dessert and Mission Market, which provide public Wi-Fi. Transit connectivity is provided by several regional bus services. GoTriangle Route 305 connects the area to Raleigh, NC State, and Cary, while GoCary Route 9 links downtown Apex to downtown Cary. The local, fare-free GoApex Route 1 operates as an hourly loop within the town. Major nearby highway corridors include US-64, US-1, NC-55, and the tolled NC-540 Triangle Expressway, facilitating commutes of 18 to 26 miles to downtown Raleigh and direct routes north to the Research Triangle Park.